Jeweller shot dead, Rs 60 lakh robbed

Four bike-borne armed men shot dead a 28-year-old jeweller after holding him at gunpoint, injured his brother and fled with cash and jewellery worth Rs 60 lakh in a busy east Delhi market on Wednesday, police said.

Sunil Kumar Rastogi, who died from a bullet piercing his neck, had got married only a month ago, police said.

The incident, an indication of complete lawlessness in the city, took place in the crowded Shashi Garden market of east Delhi.

Rastogi’s elder brother Anil (32) is admitted with a bullet injury at Kukreja Nursing Home. He has a wife and a four-year-old son. The family live on a floor above the shop.

“It was around 4.30 pm when my sons were returning after meeting one of their suppliers in Laxmi Nagar market,” said a distraught Dhyanswaroop Rastogi.

“They were entering the shop when the men stopped them and held Sunil hostage at gunpoint and asked for the bag. When he refused they fired indiscriminately and he was killed on the spot.” The father had left the shop 10 minutes before the incident took place.

Police said the alleged robbers were following the brothers on their way back from Laxmi Nagar.

“The robbers were on two bikes, one of them on a Pulsar and the other bike is yet to be identified. They had prior information about the dealing and were following them. All of them were armed and wearing helmets,” said KC Dwivedi, deputy commissioner of police (east).

Shopkeepers said that there was no law and order in the area and incidents of car thefts and snatching were quite common.

“Fifteen days ago there was a car theft and the police had installed a check post in the market but it was removed five days ago. The fact that the robbery and murder took place in such a crowded place tells the failure of the police. We are not safe in our shops,” said Shiv Om Rastogi, uncle of the brothers.